Multiple drilling or like machine



Dec. 16, 1958 G. L. sHERwooD 2,864,416

MULTIPLE DRILLING OR LIKE MACHINE Filed Jan. 16, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l wimf //a/weg Dec. 16, 1958 G. L. sHERWooD MULTIPLE DRILLING 0R LIKE MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1956 INVENTOR. /e/f ,5, fia/Wad my /f/a//ffk Dec. 16, 1958 Filed Jan. 16, 1956 G. L. sHERwooD 2,864,416

MULTIPLE DRILLING OR LIKE MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

United States Patent() MULTIPLE DRILLING on LIKE MACHINE Application January 16, 1956, Serial No. 559,249

Claims. (Cl. 144-110) This invention relates to a multiple drilling or like machine particularly adapted for elongated work. The main objects of the invention are:

First, to provide a multiple drilling machine which is mainly automatic in its operation, is of large capacity, and requires a minimum amount of manual labor to operate the same.

Second, to provide a multiple drilling machine which 1s adapted for drilling Work such as the stiles of blinds of various lengths.

Third, to provide a machine of the character described in which the only manual work required is the positioning of the work carrier.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The mvention .s defined in the claims.

A structure embodying the features of the invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational View of a drilling machine embodying my invention, work being illustrated in only a few of the several work pockets of the carrier.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary vertical section on a line corresponding to line 2 2 of Fig. 1, the carrier having work pieces in more pockets than is shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the dn'ving connections for the drill spindles.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on a line corresponding to line 4--4 of Fig. 3 showing certain details of the driving means.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View on a line corresponding to line 5 5 of Fig. 1 showing a piece of work in drilling position.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention as embodied in a machine designed particularly for drilling the stiles of a blind to receive the pivots of the slats, but it is desired to point out that the machine illustrated can be used for various kinds of work and readily modified or adapted thereto, the number and spacing of the drill spindles being such as to meet the particular requirements.

The frame designated generally by the numeral 1 is not described in detail as such details form no part of the present invention and may be varied to meet the particular requirements. The drill head member 2 is provided with a plurality of vertically disposed spindles 3 having gears 4 on their upper ends disposed in the gear box 5. In the embodiment illustrated the spindles are driven by two motors 6 mounted on brackets 7 carried by the frame and connected by belts 8 to the pulleys 9 on the motor shaft 10. The pulleys 9 are connected to or mounted on certain of the spindles to drive the sets of meshing gears 4. The spindles are provided with drills 11. The spindles are mainly shown conventionally as are also the drills, which are right and left hand drills.

yieldingly connected to the rods 45.

One of the important features of the invention is the 2,864,416 Patented Dec. 16, 19h58 ICC work carrier driven step by step and the'work feed means driven in timed relation thereto to feed the work to the drills, and means to return the work to the carrier. In the embodiment illustrated the carrier comprises a shaft 12 provided with laterally spaced circular disk-like work holders 13 having angularly spaced sprockets 14. The pockets of the several members 13 are aligned to receive elongated work pieces 15, the Work illustrated in this embodiment being stiles for blinds. The shaft 12 is driven step by step from the motor 16, the pulley 17 on the motor shaft 18 being connected by the belt 19 to the pulley 20 of the speed reducing transmission designated generally by the numeral 21. The details of this transmissionA form no part of the present invention; it is designed to secure the desired actuating speed for th several parts.

The output shaft 22 is provided with a one-tooth driv-V ing gear, Ythe tooth 24 being spirally shaped to engage the rounded teeth 25 of the gear 26 on the carrier shaft 12. The peripheral portion 27 of this gear 23 is conformed to t between the teeth 25 of the coacting gear 26 and serves to prevent rotation thereof except when a tooth 25 is engaged by the tooth 24 of the gear 23. This drive serves the double purpose of actuating the carrier step by step and locating the carrier against rotation. This drive is arranged so that the pockets are successively brought into aligned relation with the drill spindles.

It is pointed out that as shownin Fig. 2 the piece of work in the pocket aligned with the drill spindles has been advanced from the aligned pocket and returned thereto, the bore in the work being indicated at 28.v To feed the work to the drills I provide a plurality of feed members 29 which are longitudinally slotted at 30 to slidably embrace the shaft 12 as clearly shown in FigwZ. These feed members are operated in timed relationto the step by step movement of the carrier so that the work is fed from a work pocket of the carrier to the drills and is returned to the same pocket.

In the embodiment illustrated the work feed members are connected by the connecting rods to arms 31 on the rockshaft 32. The rockshaft has an actuating arm 33 connectedby the pitman or connecting rod 34 to the crank pin 35 on the driving gear 23. This insures the timed actuation of the feed members, that is, timed in relation to the step by step movement of the carrier. The work is fed to the drills 11 rather than the drills being fed to the work.

To support the work in drilling position I provide laterally spaced pairs of guide members 36 which depend from hangers 37 on the frame member 38 on which the drill spindles are also mounted. These members 36 are spaced according to the thickness of the work so, as to laterally support the Work during the drilling operation. As the work is fed vfrom the pockets it engages `the fingers 39 on the bar v40 which is supported by spring biased rods 41 projecting from the supporting frame pieces 42 to receive the springs 43. With this arrangement the bar 40 not only serves as a steady rest for the Work but, owing to the connections to the rockshaft, also strips the work from the drills and returns it to the pocket from which it has been advanced by the feed members.

To this end the rockshaft is provided with arms 44 In the embodiment illustrated this connectionlcomprises the link-like members 46 pivotally mounted on the arms 44 through which the rods 45 extend, springs 47 being provided on the rods below these links. With this arrangement the springs 43 act to return the bar 40 to its initial position but the springs 47 are Iof such tension as to insure the stripping action and also to return the work to the carrier pocket from which it was ejected by the feed members. These operations are automatic and, as stated, the partsl are actuated in timed relation. The machine is` designed for work of varying lengths.

At one end the machine is provided with a guide member 49 with which` the end4 of the. work is engaged as it isfed to the drills. It will benoted that more drills are illustrated than are required for the work illustrated in Fig. 1. However, it frequently happens that it is desired to drill relatively long pieces of work, and to enable reverse positioning of the work so that one end may be drilled and the work then positioned for drilling the other end a pair of spring pressed pilot pins 50 are provided, see the right hand end of Fig. l, the pins being reciprocatingly supported in the holder 51 and yieldingly urged by the springs 52 to locating position. The purpose of this is to locate the work which has been partly drilled so that pieces of work longer than provided for by the series of drills may be reversed and properly located for a second drilling operation by locating holes previously drilled under the pilot pins. The pilot pins project downwardly farther than the drills so that registry of the work is accomplished before the second drilling operation.

In the machine illustrated the work is manually advanced to the carrier along the guide trough 53, the work being pushed into a pocket 14 aligned with the inner end of the trough. To automatically discharge the drilled work from the carrier I provide curved strippers 54 which are disposed between the holder members and curved to be engaged by the work and eject it from the pockets into the rack 55 which has inwardly projecting arms 56 disposed between the holder members or pocket members as illustrated in Fig. 2. With this arrangement of parts the operation of the machine is automatic with the exception that in the structure illustrated the work is manually placed in the pockets as described.

I have illustrated and described a highly practical embodiment of the invention. I have not attempted to illustrate various modifications thereof which might be desirable to adapt the same for particular work as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A multiple drilling machine comprising a drill head member having an aligned series of driven vertically disposed spindles, a rotary work carrier disposed below said head member and comprising a horizontally disposed driven shaft vertically aligned with said spindles and provided with axially spaced circular work holders having aligned angularly spaced work pockets adapted to supportingly receive elongated work, work feedmembers disposed between said carrier work holders and longitudinally slotted to receive said shaft and guided thereby, a plurality of laterally spaced pairs of work guide members aligned with said spindles and with said work feed members to receive and laterally support Work transferred thereto from said work carrier pockets by said work feed members, a spring biased work retracting bar provided with a plurality of work engaging lingers disposed between adjacent pairs of said work guide members for stripping the work therefrom and returning it to the pocket from which it had been advanced to drilling position, and means for actuating said work carrier step by step and said work feed members and said retracting bar in timed relation comprising a driven gear on said work carrier shaft, a single toothed driving gear coacting therewith to drive said driven gear step by step, said driving gear being provided with a crank pin, a rock shaft provided with an actuating arm, a connecting rod connecting said crank pin to said rock shaft actuating arm, arms on said rock shaft connected to said work feed members, a reciprocable actuating rod for said work retracting bar, arms on said rock shaft having yielding connection to said rods.

2. A multiple drilling machine comprising a drill head 4 member having an aligned series of driven vertically disposed spindles, a rotary work carrier disposed below said head member and comprising a horizontally disposed driven shaft vertically aligned with said spindles and provided with axially spaced circular work holders having aligned angularly spaced work pockets adapted to supportingly receive elongated work, work feed members disposed between said carrier work holders and longitudinally slotted to receive said shaft and guided thereby, a plurality of laterally spaced pairs of work guide members aligned with said spindles and with said work feed members to receive and laterally support work transferred thereto from said work carrier pockets by said worl'` feed members, a spring biased work retracting bar provided with a plurality or Work engaging lingers disposed between adjacent pairs of said work guide members for stripping the work therefrom and returning it to the pocket from which it had been advanced to drilling posi-l tion, and means for actuating said work carrier step by step and said work feed members and said retracting bar in timed relation.

3. A multiple drilling machine comprising a drill head member having an aligned series of driven vertically/.disposed spindles, a rotary work carrier disposed below said head member and comprising a horizontaliy disposed driven shaft vertically aligned with said spindles and provided with `axially spaced circular worl; holders having aligned angularly spaced work pockets adapted to sup portingly receive elongated work, a feed chute with which aligned work holder pockets of the work carriers are successively aligned as the work carrier is actuated step by step, work feed members disposed between said carrier work holders and longitudinally slotted to receive said shaft and guided thereby, a plurality of laterally spaced pairs of work guide members aligned with said spindles and with said work feed members to receive and laterally support work transferred thereto from said work carrier pockets `by said work feed members, a spring biased work retracting bar provided with a plurality of work engaging fingers disposed between adjacent pairs of said work guide members for stripping the work therefrom and returning it to the pocket from which it had been advanced to drilling position, and means for actuating said work carrier step by step and said work feed members and said retracting bar in timed relation, a work receiving rack provided with guide arms disposed between said work holders of the carrier, and curved laterally spaced work ejecting members disposed between said work holders in eccentric relation to the said carrier shaft to successively disengage the work from said work holders and discharge it upon said rack guide arms.

4. A multiple drilling machine comprising a drill head member having an aligned series of driven vertically disposed spindles, a rotary work carrier disposed below said head member and comprising a horizontally disposed driven shaft aligned with said spindles and provided with axially spaced work holders having aligned angularly spaced work pockets adapted to supportingly receive elongated work, work support members positioned between said drill spindles and said carrier to receive and support work in drilling position, means for rotating said carrier step -by step to position the work pockets thereof in alignment with said work support members, reciprocatingly mounted work feed members disposed between said carrier work holders and actuated in timed relation to said work carrier to transfer work from said carrier to said supports, a spring biased work stripping member positioned to engage work disposed in drilling position in said work support members, and means for actuating said stripping member in timed relation to said work feed members for stripping the work from said work support members and returning it to the pocket from which it had been advanced thereto.

5, A multiple drilling machine comprising a drill head member having an aligned series of driven vertically disposed spindles, a rotary work carrier disposed below said head member and comprising a horizontally disposed driven shaft aligned with said spindles and provided with axially spaced work holders having aligned angularly spaced work pockets adapted to supportingly receive elongated work, work support members positioned between said drill spindles and said carrier to receive and support work in drilling position, means for rotating said carrier step by step to position the work pockets thereof in alignlment with said work support members, reciprocatingly mounted work feed members disposed between said carrier work holders and actuated in timed relation to transfer work from said carrier to said supports, a work stripping member positioned relative to the work support members for engagement with work positioned therein, and means for actuating said work stripping member in timed relation to said work feed members for stripping the work from said work support members and returning it to the pocket from which it had been advanced thereto.

6. A multiple drilling machine comprising a drill head member having an aligned series of driven vertically disposed spindles, a rotary work carrier disposed below said head member and comprising a horizontally disposed driven shaft aligned with said spindles and provided with axially spaced work holders having aligned angularly spaced work pockets adapted to supportingly receive elongated work, work support members positioned between said drill spindles and said carrier to receive and support work in drilling position, means for rotating said carrier step by step to position the work pockets thereof in valignment with said work support members, reciprocatingly mounted work feed members disposed between said carrier work holders and actuated in timed relation to transfer work from said carrier to said supports, a work stripping member disposed in opposed relation to said work feed members for engagement with work positioned in said support members by said work feed members, and means for actuating said work stripping member in timed relation to the actuation of said work feed members for stripping the work from said work support members and returning it to the pocket from which it had been advanced thereto, work ejecting members disposed between 'said work holders to successively disengage the work from said work holders as the Work carrier is rotated, and a feed chute with which aligned work holder pockets are successively aligned as the carrier is rotated step by step.

7. A multiple drilling machine comprising a drill head member having an aligned series of driven spindles, a rotary work carrier disposed with its axis in parallel relation to said drill head and having angularly spaced work holders, work support members positioned between said drill spindles and said carrier to receive and support work in drilling position, means for rotating said carrier step by step to position the work holders thereof in alignment with said Work support members, work feed members actuated in timed relation to said work carrier to transfer work from said carrier to said work supports, a work stripping member positioned to engage work disposed in drilling position in said work supports, and means for actuating said stripping member in timed relation to said work feed members for stripping the work from said work support members and returning it to the work holder from which it had been advanced thereto.

8. A machine comprising a tool head member having an aligned series of driven tools, a rotary work carrier disposed with its axis in parallel relation to said head and having angularly spaced work holders, a work support positioned between said tool head member and said carrier to receive and support work in operative relation to said tools, means for rotating said carrier step by step to successively position the work holders thereof in alignment with said work support, work feed means actuated in timed relation to the actuation of said work carrier to transfer work from said carrier to said work support, a work stripping member engageable with work positioned in said work support in operative relation to said tool head member, and means for actuating said work stripping member in timed relation to said work feed means for stripping the work from said work supports and returning it to the carrier.

9. In combination, a tool support, a work carrier provided with an annular series of work holders, a work support'positioned between said tool support and said carrier to receive and support work in operative relation to said tool support, means for rotating said carrier step by step to successively position the work carried thereby in alignment with said work support, a work feed means actuated in timed relation to the actuation of said work carrier to transfer work therefrom to said work support, a spring biased work stripping member positioned relative to said work support to engage work advanced thereto by said work feed means, and means for actuating said work stripping member in timed relation to said work feed means for stripping the work from said work support and returning it to the carrier.

10. In combination, a tool support, a rotary work carrier provided with an annular series of work holders,

a work support positioned between said tool support and said carrier to receive and support work in operative relation to said tool support, means for rotating said carrier step by step to successively position the work carried thereby in alignment with said work support, a work feed means actuated in timed relation to the actuation of said work carrier to transfer work therefrom to said work support, a work stripping member engageable with work transferred from said work carrier to said work support, and means for actuating said work stripping member in timed relation to said work feed means for stripping the work from said work support and returning it tothe carrier. f

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 250,167 Parker Nov. 29, 1881 378,747 Wattie Feb. 28, 1888 552,379 Langelier Dec. 3l, 1895 828,176 Bailey Aug. 7, 1906 2,286,096 Joa June 9, 1942 

